Trailer drawbar



1 Filed Nov. 24, 1950 Jan. 26, 1954 D. A. PARKER 2,667,282

TRAILER DRAWBAR 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT OR ,D. flparirer ATTORNEYS D. A. PA R K E R TRAILER DRAWBAR Jan. 26, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 24, 1950 "mum R &

ATTORNEYS Jan. 26, 1954 D. A. PARKER 2,667,282

TRAILER DRAWBAR Filed Nov. 24, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet3 ,6 BY M QM ATTORNEYE INVENTOR Jan. 26, 1954 D. A. PARKER 2,667,282

TRAILER DRAWBAR Filed Nov. 24, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1 2: Parker ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 26, 1954 UNITED STATES OFFICE TRAILER DRAWBA'R Dean-A. Parker, Richmnd, Mioh.

ApplicationNovember 24, 1950,. Serial-No; 197,393,

6' Claims, 1

This invention relates to a gooseneck'coupling between a tractor vehicle and a low slung. trailer.

An object of this invention is to provide a-gooseneck or inverted L-shaped draw-bar which forms a coupling between a tractor vehicleand a. low slung trailer and which is so constructedand arranged that the drawbar may be detached from or connected with the trailer.

Another object of this invention is to provide in combination a detachable drawbar and trailer which will permit lowering of the trailer to a loading or unloading position or raising of the forward end of the trailer to a moving position.

A further object of this invention is to provide adetachable drawbar which includes traction wheels for permitting shifting of the tractor with attached drawbar and with-the latter uncoupled from the trailer.

A further object of this invention is to provide a-drawbar structure which includes means operative from the tractor vehicle for effecting coupling or uncoupling of the drawbar from the trailer and for raising or lowering the front end of the trailer.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combinationand details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more-particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In-the drawings:

Figure 1 is a'detail side-elevation partly broken away of a drawbar and low slung trailer constructed according to an embodiment ofthis invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 22 of Figure 5.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken substan-- tially on the line 3-3 of Figure 5.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken onthe line 44'of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on-the line 7-1 of Figure 4.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevation-of the drawbar.

Referring to the drawings the numeral Hidesignates generally-a tractor vehicle of conventional construction which is provided with a'fifth wheel H and includes a frame l2. In Figure l-the rear.

portion of the tractor figure lD'is disclosed andafifth wheel H is rockably mounted asat I3'on horizontally disposed pivot means.

A. low slung,

2. trailer. member generally designated as l4 is disposed at the rear of the tractor vehicle It and is adapted. to: be.- connected. with the tractor l0 by, means-of a detachable drawbar aswillbe hereinafter described.

Agdrawbar structure generally designated as I5 is pivotally connected withthe fifth wheel H' in a. conventionalmanner, and. the drawbar structure l5 includes amain-frame structure formed of a pair; of inverted. L-shaped members :5. The L.-shapedrmembers Shave a substantially horizontal upper side .I 1 and-a depending rear side I8. There are two of these L-shaped members 56 which are connected together at their forward ends by means of connecting I beam members IS-andare connectedztogether at their rear portions by means of a rear I beam 29.

A plate 2| issecuredtothe upper side of the I. beam 23- andis fixed between the rear sides lflof the framemembers l6 and a pair of inner frame members 22 are secured to the plate 2| and to the-beam 20. The inner frame members or. plates 22 are spaced inwardly from the webs of the rear frame members [8, the purpose for which will. be hereinafter. described. A horizontally disposedvertically movable shaft 23, is disposed between the, rear sides is. and is vertically movable invvertically disposed slots or guides 24 which are formed in the inner frame members 22. The shaft. 23- hasa pair of flanged collars 2.5 rotatably. disposed. thereon which loosely engage inthe guide slots 2.4,..and the collars 25. are, held against inward movement by meansof a pair of collars ,2B'which are fixedly secured as by welding or. the like. to the shaft 231 A sleeve, or bearing; member 2? is disposed transversely across the lower side of the shaft 2'3. midway between. the ends thereof, and the bearing sleeve 2].is secured relative to the shaft 23 by means of ,a bowedbar, 28 which is welded or otherwisefixedly secured to, the collarsZG.

Aninvertedr U-shapedclevis 29 engages about theshaftv 2'3 and a pin-or pivotmember 36. engages through the arms of the clevis 29'. and throughthe. bearing member or sleeve 2? so as to thereby connect. the clevis 29. to the shaft 23.

The clevis. 29-has fixedly secured thereto an upwardly, extending threadedjack shaft 3!. The jack shaft 3]. rotatably engages through a bearing 32' which iscarriedby. the plate 23. A nut 33 is threaded onthe shaft. 3.] andis formed with abevelspur, gear 34.

A thrustbearing 35 is disposed between the bearing 32v and thenut 33', and preferably the nut. 33 includes a relatively long sleeve 36. A

through a second universal joint 44, and gear box 43 i secured to the connecting eye members l9 and includes a shaft 45 extending downwardly through the fifth wheel I! and adapted to be connected in a conventional manner with the power take-off of the tractor vehicle. r 1

The shaft 23 has fixed thereto adjacent the opposite ends thereof a pair of clevises 46 which include a connecting pin 41. V

by one of the plates 67.

Each chain 62 engages over a grooved roller 64 rotatably mounted through an inverted U-shaped member 65 which is secured to the upper side of the plate 2|. A shaft 55 is rotatably carried by a downwardly and rearwardly inclined plate 51 which is secured to an outer frame member I6 and an adjacent inner frame member 22. The shaft 66 has fixed thereto a lever or arm 68, and a crank lever 69 is also secured to the shaft 56 and is adapted to engage a latch hook 'iil carried The chain 52 is partly 'wound about the shaft 23 as shown in Figure 3,

and when the crank 69 is in locked position as shown in Figure 3 the shaft 23 is yieldably urged to rotate in a clockwise direction.

When the clevise 45 are to be uncoupled from the keeper members or hooks 49 the crank 39 is Referring now to Figure 6 the trailer l4 in-' cludes a pair of parallel forwardly extendin frame members 48 and a pair of forwardly projecting hooks or keepers 49 which are positioned between the'frame extension members 48. V

The frame extension members 48 are provided with downwardly inclined forward ends 50, and a shoe 5| is secured to the lower side of each frame extension member 48. The inclined forward. portions 55 provide the track at the forward end of the trailer l4 so that when the forward end of the trailer is lowered with the shoes 5| engaging with the ground or road, the article which is to be loaded onto the trailer may be moved upwardly over the inclined track 50. Each keeper or hook :19 is formed with a downwardly and rearwardly inclined nose 52 and an arcuate keeper slot 53 within which a pin 41 is adapted to releasably engage. A drawbar l5 has secured to the lower rear portions of the inner frame members 22 a pair of wheels 54 which are rotatably mounted on a shaft 55 carried by beariIlgs 56.

The bearings 56 are secured to angle members 51 which are fixed to the inner sides of the plates or inner frame members 22. The rollers or wheels 54 project downwardly a slight distance below the lower rear end of the drawbar I5 and are adapted to engage the ground or road when the drawbar I5 is uncoupled from the trailer or when the trailer M has been lowered'to a loading or unloading position. A cross shaft 58 is secured between the side member l8 of the drawbar at the rear of the side members I8, and a pair of bearing sleeves 59 are loosely mounted on the shaft 58 on the outer sides of the inner frame members 22 and inwardly of the outer frame members I6. Each bearing sleeve 29 has a plate 50 fixedly secured thereto which, as shown in Figure 3, is adapted to engage the upper side of a keeper member 49 when the drawbar is in coupled position with respect to the trailer M.

The bearing sleeves 59 with the plates'fill provide a fulcrum by means of Which the drawbar structure I5 is adapted to be rocked relative to the trailer M for elevating or lowering the trailer and the drawbar structure. The keeper members 49 as shown in Figures 3 and 6 have fixedly secured thereto a pair of stop members 6| which are fixed to the upper sides of the keeper members 49 and are adapted to be engaged by the rear ends of the L-shaped member l6.

In order to provide a means whereby the clevises it may be yieldably urged to a coupling position a pair of chains 62 are secured to the shaft 23 adjacent the outer end portions thereof, and a spring 53 is interposed in each chain 62.

raised upwardly to release the tension on the chains 52 in order that the clevises 43 may gravitatingly swing downwardly to substantially vertical position. It will be understood that when the crank 59 is raised upwardly to a released position the jack shaft 3| will then be lowered to disengage the locking pins 4'! from the keepers 53.

In order to provide a means whereby the drawbar structure i5 will be held in alignment with the tractor vehicle In during the coupling of the drawbar with the trailer [4, I have provided an extensible shaft II which is slidable in a guide sleeve 12 carried by the frame l2 of the tractor Ill. The shaft "H has a collar 13 on its forward end and a second collar 14 at its rear or projecting end.

A fork I5 is secured to a shaft 16 rotatably carried by the frame members 16, and a crank or lever 17 is secured to one end of the shaft 15 and is disposed on the outer side of one of the outer frame members It. In the normal position of the lever T! which is shown in full lines the fork 15 will be disposed in an upper released position out of the way of the shaft 1|. V

In the locked position of fork 15 lever or crank TI will be raised to a vertical position as shown in dotted lines in Figure l and in full lines in Figure 3. Initially the shaft II will be moved rearwardly to the position shown in Figures 2 and 3 whereupon lever H may be raised upwardly to a vertical position so that fork 15 will straddle shaft H. The fork 15 will, in the locked position, hold the drawbar structure against turning movement relative to the tractor vehicle when the latter is backed to a coupling position with respect to the trailer l i.

A transparent tube 18 extends upwardly from the housing 3! and is provided with graduations 19. The jack shaft 13 is adapted to telescope upwardly into the tube 18 when the shaft 3| is moved upwardly so that the operator of the tractor vehicle Ill will be able to determine by a glance at the tube 78 the exact height of the forward end of the trailer I4 with respect to the ground or rod. The tube 18 is also provided with a cap so that a lubricant may be discharged into the tube "8 for lubricating the jack shaft 3|. 7

In the use and operation of this drawbar structure assuming that the trailer Is is in the lowered position shown in Figure 3 with the drawbar disengaged from the trailer, the tractor I9 is backed toward the trailer l4, and at this time the drawbar l5 will be locked relative to the tractor Is by means of the shaft H and the locking fork 15 which at this time will be in the full line position shown in Figures 2 and 3. The shaft 23 will be lowered to a position whereby the coupling pins 41 may ride downwardlyon: the inclined noses of the-keeper: members: 49'. ihe shaft 23 will be under tension by lowering of the crank 69 to the shaft tensioning position. The clevises idwill. snap into the keeper members at the time the rear. end. of the drawbar i abuts against the stop membersfil.

The drawbar ldwith. the forward end of the trailer i lmay be elevatedto an operating position by rotating the nut 33 to raise the jack shaft 3!. Raising of the jack shaft 3| will elevate the cross shaft 23 sothat' the trailer frame i l will be raised at its forward end with the bearing plates 50 engaging the upper sides of the keeper members or hooks 49. In the normal running or moving position of the trailer the trailer will be disposed in a substantially horizontal position as shown in Figure 1.

In the event it is desired to elevate the trailer frame at its forward end to a position above the horizontal, this can be accomplished by further raising the jackshaft 3| and the clevises 46. The drawbar structure l5 may be uncoupled from the trailer I 3 and the latter disposed in either a loading or unloading position by lowering the jack shaft l3 and releasing the shaft 23 from the tension of the chain 62.

The structure hereinbefore described will provide a detachable drawbar structure which will facilitate the loading or unloading of the trailer and will also provide a means whereby the forward end of the underslung or low slung trailer may be raised to pass over ridges or humps which may be encountered in a road or other position.

What is claimed is:

i. In combination a tractor vehicle having a 'fifth wheel, a trailer, an inverted L-shaped drawbar having a forward end attached to said fifth wheel, reciprocably slidable movable means mounted on said drawbar for vertical movement with respect thereto, whereby said movable means may assume various heights above the ground, actuating means comprising a jack screw secured to said movable means, a nut threadably engaging said jack screw, and means for rotating said nut, said last-mentioned means comprising a power take-off means on said tractor vehicle and means drivingly connecting said nut with said power take-off means, said actuating means being adapted for raising or lowering said movable means, and coupling means for connecting the forward end of said trailer to said movable means, whereby the height of said trailer forward end may be varied.

2. In combination a tractor vehicle having a fifth wheel, a trailer, an inverted L-shaped drawbar having a forward end attached to said fifth wheel, reciprocably slidable movable means mounted on said drawbar for vertical movement with respect thereto, whereby said movable means may assume various heights above the ground, actuating means for raising or lowering said movable means, said actuating means comprising a power take-off means on said tractor vehicle and means drivingly connecting said power take-off means with said movable means for raising or lowering the latter, and coupling means for connecting the forward end of said trailer to said movable means, whereby the height of said trailer forward end may be varied.

3. In combination a tractor vehicle having a fifth wheel, a trailer, an inverted L-shaped drawbar having a forward end attached to said fifth wheel, reciprocably slidable movable means mounted on saididrawbar f orvertical movement. with respect theret0,. whereby said movable meanscm'ay assume various heights above the ground, actuating means for raising or lowering said movable means, said actuating means comprising a shaft securedv to saidmovable means,

means. rivingly engaging the, shaft for raising,

and l'oweringthe latter, and a fixed transparent housing-g closing said shaft and having indicia .markings thereon; whereby the operator may observethe relative position of the shaft within the; transparent housing and thereby determine the height' above the ground-of the forward end of the trailer, and coupling means for connecting the forward end of said trailer to said movable means, whereby the height of said trailer forward end may be varied.

4. In combination a tractor vehicle having a fifth wheel, a trailer, an inverted L-shaped drawbar having a forward end attached to said fifth wheel and also having a rear end including wheels engaging the ground to support said rear end, movable means mounted on said drawbar for vertical movement with respect thereto, whereby said movable means may assume various heights above the ground, actuating means for raising or lowering said movable means, said actuating means comprising a jack screw secured to said movable means, a rotatable nut threadably engaging said jack screw having gear means secured thereto, a gear engaging said gear means, a power take-off means on said vehicle and means drivingly connecting said gear with said power take-off means, and coupling means for connecting the forward'end of said trailer to said movable means, whereby the height of said trailer forward end may be varied, said movable means being approximately vertically reciprocably slidable with respect to said drawbar.

5. A drawbar for coupling a tractor vehicle with a trailer comprising an inverted L-shaped frame, movable means mounted on said frame for vertical movement with respect thereto, whereby said movable means may assume various heights above the ground, actuating means for raising or lowering said movable means, and coupling means for connecting the forward end of said trailer to said movable means, whereby the height of said trailer forward end may be varied, said coupling comprising a downwardly extending member freely pivotally mounted at its upper end to said movable means, the lower end of said member having means adapted to interengage with the trailer forward end when said member is pivoted in one direction, spring means normally pivotally urging said member in said one direction, and means for releasing the spring means to allow said member to extend vertically, whereby said lower end of the member may be disengaged from the trailer forward end.

6. A gooseneck coupling for connecting a tractor and trailer together, said coupling comprising an inverted L-shaped member having a horizontal side and a vertical side, a fifth wheel element carried by said horizontal side for connection with a complementary fifth wheel element on the tractor, a vertically movable slide carried by said vertical side, detachable coupling means carried by said slide engageable with the trailer, a fulcrum means carried by said vertical side rearwardly of said slide and engageable with the upper side of the trailer, and means for vertically adjusting said slide and coupling means to thereby vary the angular relation of said vertical side with respect to the trailer.

DEAN A. PARKER.

Number 7 Name Date Lake Dec. 10, 1929 Johnston Aug. 1'7, 1943 Mosling Oct. 12,1943 Pointer Nov. 20, 1945 King Oct. 1, 1946 Number Number 8, 7 Name 7 Date Meadows Sept. 21,1948 Johnson Sept. 6, 1949 Talbert Nov. 22, 1949 Larsen Nov. 28, 1950 Vutz Mar. 27, 1951 Keesler Mar. 25, 1952 Rogers Mar. 25, 1952 Talbert Oct. 14', 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 Country 7 Date Great Britain Feb. 28, 1941 

